Gaby
A team of sociologists from the international market research company OnePoll found that the most stressful time of day for most working adults is 8:15 AM.
To reach that conclusion, the team surveyed 2,000 working adults. The overwhelming majority reported that preparing for another workday, getting children ready for daycare or school, and commuting make mornings the most hectic time. More than half of respondents (51 percent) said they feel overwhelmed from the moment they get out of bed and constantly struggle to find enough time to complete their obligations.
What Else the Researchers Found
The majority of those surveyed spend an average of 20 minutes and 28 seconds each morning dealing with unexpected complications and setbacks, even though mornings demand punctuality.
At least 35 percent said they feel some level of stress at the start of the day. This feeling is nearly constant for most participants, according to the Daily Mail.
About half of the volunteers (47 percent) said they’re more overwhelmed now than at any other time in their lives.
More than a third (35 percent) said stress leaves them unsure how to carve out time for activities that make them happy. About 37 percent said they’ve forgotten how to make time for their own needs and hobbies.
Among common morning challenges, volunteers mentioned waking up late, losing house keys, figuring out what to wear, and rushing children to school. Parents said that the unpredictability of children’s behavior often turns even a well-planned morning routine into chaos.
The sociologists obtained these results following recent studies warning that stress, anxiety, or exhaustion in middle age can increase the risk of developing dementia.
How to Combat Morning Stress
The researchers offered several simple hacks to make mornings calmer and more manageable.
Prepare work clothes and lunch the night before.
Establish a simple, consistent morning routine for everyone in the household. A well-rehearsed plan for getting ready can help, even on days when everyone wakes up especially tired.
Parents, wake up at least 30 minutes before your children to give yourself time to get ready.
Delegate age-appropriate chores to children and turn those tasks into a fun game.
Limit morning use of phones and computers; avoid social media, video games, and TV shows that steal precious minutes.
Don’t overlook alarm clocks and kitchen timers — they are simple, reliable tools when time is tight.
